Method, software and device for implementing personal safety functionalities

Abstract

The present specification provides a method for implementing personal safety functionalities. The method comprises collecting sensor data from at least one sensor of a device and executing by a processing unit of the device a safety risk prediction algorithm. The algorithm uses inputs comprising the sensor data to determine a safety risk indicator where the safety risk indicator is indicative of whether a user of the device is exposed to a safety risk presented by at least one person in the vicinity of the user of the device. The method further takes at least one action by the processing unit of the device when the indicator indicates that the user is exposed to a safety risk. The present also provides a safety device, and instructions to be executed by a processing unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for implementing personal safety functionalities, the method comprising:
 collecting sensor data from at least one sensor of a device;   executing by a processing unit of the device a safety risk prediction algorithm, the algorithm using inputs comprising the sensor data to determine a safety risk indicator, the safety risk indicator being indicative of whether a user of the device is exposed to a safety risk presented by at least one person in the vicinity of the user of the device; and   taking at least one action by the processing unit of the device when the indicator indicates that the user is exposed to a safety risk.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor data comprise at least one of the following: visual behavioral changes of the at least one person extracted from images generated by an imaging sensor of the device, voice pattern changes of the at least one person extracted from sounds recorded by a sound sensor of the device, heart rate measurements of the user generated by a heart rate sensor of the device, and blood pressure measurements of the user generated by a blood pressure sensor of the device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inputs further comprise at least one of the following: contextual data collected by the device and additional data received from a server implementing server-side personal safety functionalities. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the action is at least one of the following:
 configurable and personalized based on contextual data collected by the device.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one action comprise at least one of the following: warning the user of the exposition to a safety risk through an interaction of the device with the user, generating a deterring sound sequence by a speaker of the device to deter the at least one person, sending an alert via a wireless communication interface of the device to a server in charge of forwarding the alert to one or more contact devices, and directly sending the alert via the wireless communication interface of the device to the one or more contact devices. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device is one of the following: a smartphone, a smart watch or a smart bangle. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the algorithm is a machine learning algorithm using a predictive model for determining the safety risk indicator based on the inputs. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing unit of the device determines a ranking and a localization of a plurality of contacts of the user, the ranking of each contact being based on at least one data element associated to the contact, the at least one data element associated to the contact comprising at least one of the following: a trust relationship of the contact, a response capacity of the contact, a proximity of the contact and a response history of the contact. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein a map based on the ranking and localization of the plurality of contacts of the user is displayed on a screen of the device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein determining the ranking of the plurality of contacts of the user comprises calculating each ranking by the device based on data received from a server or receiving each ranking from the server. 
     
     
         11 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions executable by a processing unit of a device, the execution of the instructions by the processing unit of the device providing for implementing personal safety functionalities by:
 collecting sensor data from at least one sensor of the device;   executing by the processing unit of the device a safety risk prediction algorithm, the algorithm using inputs comprising the sensor data to determine a safety risk indicator, the safety risk indicator being indicative of whether a user of the device is exposed to a safety risk presented by at least one person in the vicinity of the user of the device; and   taking at least one action by the processing unit of the device when the indicator indicates that the user is exposed to a safety risk.   
     
     
         12 . A safety device comprising:
 a wireless communication interface;   at least one sensor; and   a processing unit for:
 collecting sensor data from the at least one sensor; 
 executing a safety risk prediction algorithm, the algorithm using inputs comprising the sensor data to determine a safety risk indicator, the safety risk indicator being indicative of whether a user of the safety device is exposed to a safety risk presented by at least one person in the vicinity of the user of the device; and 
 taking at least one action when the indicator indicates that the user is exposed to a safety risk. 
   
     
     
         13 . The safety device of  claim 12 , wherein the sensor data comprise at least one of the following: visual behavioral changes of the at least one person extracted from images generated by an imaging sensor of the safety device, voice pattern changes of the at least one person extracted from sounds recorded by a sound sensor of the safety device, heart rate measurements of the user generated by a heart rate sensor of the safety device, and blood pressure measurements of the user generated by a blood pressure sensor of the device. 
     
     
         14 . The safety device of  claim 12 , wherein the inputs further comprise at least one of the following: contextual data collected by the device and additional data received from a server implementing server-side personal safety functionalities. 
     
     
         15 . The safety device of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one action comprise at least one of the following: warning the user of the exposition to a safety risk through an interaction of the safety device with the user, generating a deterring sound sequence by a speaker of the safety device to deter the at least one person, sending an alert via the wireless communication interface to a server in charge of forwarding the alert to one or more contact devices, and directly sending the alert via the wireless communication interface to the one or more contact devices. 
     
     
         16 . The safety device of  claim 12 , wherein the safety device is one of the following: a smartphone, a smart watch or a smart bangle. 
     
     
         17 . The safety device of  claim 12 , wherein the algorithm is a machine learning algorithm using a predictive model for determining the safety risk indicator based on the inputs. 
     
     
         18 . The safety device of  claim 12 , wherein the processing unit of the device determines a ranking and a localization of a plurality of contacts of the user, the ranking of each contact being based on at least one data element associated to the contact, the at least one data element associated to the contact comprising at least one of the following: a trust relationship of the contact, a response capacity of the contact, a proximity of the contact and a response history of the contact. 
     
     
         19 . The safety device of  claim 18 , wherein a map based on the ranking and localization of the plurality of contacts of the user is displayed on a screen of the device. 
     
     
         20 . The safety device of  claim 18 , wherein determining the ranking of the plurality of contacts of the user comprises calculating each ranking by the device based on data received from a server or receiving each ranking from the server.